Scorned by my people, abandoned by my brothers. I have no one, and the only one who would show me mercy isn’t mine and never will be—until she’s at my door, throwing her arms around me and forcing me back into the light I never thought would shine on me again.

This is Nial’s redemption story.

Humans finally know they're not alone in the Universe. The confirmation comes in the form of a ship landing on Ellis Island in the middle of a live national broadcast.

They're invaders, but they come in peace. They want to know us, help us. They offer an exchange--their advancements in health and science, the eradication of our worst diseases, the neutralization of our weapons of war.

The going rate for peace on Earth? An invitation. For those who are interested, a chance to live off world in their society, to understand the greater Universe, to be space explorers.

Niwa signs up, ready to see the stars and the planets among them. When she and the other volunteers board the ship, everything seems gravy, until she realizes something strange.

They're all women, and all of their hosts are male.

I'm one of the few who didn't jump for joy when I found out we weren't alone in the Universe. I know from experience that flying under the radar is beneficial. Since, once you're under a spotlight, everyone can see you. Our invaders may have come in peace, but everyone else who can see us now has not.

When I'm snatched from my home, thrown in a cell, and trapped by a wild, violent band of marauding aliens, I see no path to freedom.

That is until one our invaders shows up to be my hero.

I come from a race of mercenaries and assassins. Albeit, ones who only act in the interest of neutral good with the goal of Universal peace. The fact is, there's evil in the Universe, so when the dirty business of war needs to be done, they send me.

Now that we've formed an alliance when the humans, they don't trust us to handle the problem of human women being trafficked by less honorable "aliens," so they insist on one of their military personal joining our fight.

Captain Malika Dayo is not at all what I'm expecting, everything I want, and nothing I need in my life, ever. Still, the draw to her is undeniable, and as we find ourselves deep in enemy territory, the game we have to play to stay alive becomes a reality I can't live without.

We met Mun and Asha in Lure. Their story continues...